Goddamn ECU ....

[i'm the girl]

Ok I put this off topic cause it's about a gen6 accord:

Ok with all this rain we've had in soCal, My husband's car has gotten flooded like 3 times (the one time i KNOW it got at least as deep as halfway up his pipes)

Long story short, we've already gotten the insurance check to replace the carpet and headliner -- but now something's fucking up on startup...

...the car cranks and cranks but doesn't start ... it's this horrible sad sad grinding noise and twice the car has just stalled itself out as soon as it starts

I am next to positive it's not the starter ... someone said it could be the ecu?

please, if anyone could enlighten me...

[h22sparkle]

check for fuel and spark thats the best i can tell you. it stalls out sounds like a fuel problem. To check the altenator if you manage to get the car started take the negative side off the battery if the car stalls immediately its your altenator. Now as far as the other stuff your on your own on that one. You should check for spark too . Are you getting any check engine lights btw?

[i'm the girl]

oh shit i meant that it doesn't start right away -- i just noticed like a half a sentence missing - once it starts (it can take up to 5 or 6 seconds to catch) it runs fine - and there is no clicking or slowness to the sound of the cranking itself (sorry I dont have a portable recorder, i'd post up a soundbite), which is why I don't think its the starter

alternator is next to new

and a note: we didn't have this problem before the car got wet

[i'm the girl]

and yes we are throwing an ecu code - but I am 99% positive that its from the O2 sensor wiring and unrelated...

[h22sparkle]

how and exactly what got wet?

[h22sparkle]

sound liek it may be your problem rigth there to a certain extent the 02 makes the car run richer and its harder to start,and your hubby flooded the car . The car probably dies out becuas of it runnin too rich and id reset and replace the o2 and see what else no other codes are you absolutely sure?

[i'm the girl]

and that's even less than it can get -- we're so close to the ocean and drainage is so poorly planned that the stormdrains back up and the water rises up from the ground --

[i'm the girl]

sound liek it may be your problem rigth there to a certain extent the 02 makes the car run richer and its harder to start,and your hubby flooded the car . The car probably dies out becuas of it runnin too rich and id reset and replace the o2 and see what else no other codes are you absolutely sure?

O2 sensor was changed out already it's running a code because he half-assed the wiring so its creating more resistance and confusing the computer .. and it was throwing the code before this ... but would that effect the startup?

it's not his fault the car flooded - there was no where else to park it -

[h22sparkle]

Okay well damn did the water get inside the car at all? has it gotten inside the floor area of the car enough to be soaked?

[93accord2dr]

Sounds like there's too much or too little gas getting in.

Also, you might have water in the fuel line.

[i'm the girl]

yes. that's what i said -- it got in deep enough to soak the interior carpet .. it's so gross we have to rip it up and are waiting on new to come in
-- the one time we saw it it was sitting in at least 12 inches of water

[h22sparkle]

im guessin its too much gas gettin in and as far as his wiring watch out could be the reason too. The excess amount of gas may be snuffing the car out literally. id pull all the plugs out and let it sit with the hood open to let the gas thats in there evaporate and start over.

[h22sparkle]

maybe the ecu has water in it id use a wet and dry vac on the carpet and pull the ecu and open it up releasing the bolts. And open it to see if it gotten water in there you didnt try to uhhh start the car with the water in on the passengers side did you........?

[i'm the girl]

I'll definitely give that a shot - how long would i need to let it sit?

[i'm the girl]

maybe the ecu has water in it id use a wet and dry vac on the carpet and pull the ecu and open it up releasing the bolts. And open it to see if it gotten water in there you didnt try to uhhh start the car with the water in on the passengers side did you........?

oh good god no! : ) I called a shop and I'm gonna take it tomorrow for them to check out the ecu ... if that's it then at least my insurance will pay for it (thank you, Jesus cause that's the last thing i need to be buying right now)